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Passive vs. Active basses through a AMPEG SVT-CL

S

swsengineer

Dec 26, 2007
22
0
#1
I play through an american made Ampeg SVT-CL with a Berg NV-610. I've noticed my active basses which I used to prefer when I played solid state equip don't sound as good as my passive ones. I realize it can be 1000 different factors and I have tried several basses and played with the eq a bunch. For whatever reason any descent passive bass sounds great without much tweaking. Is this something common with tube heads or have I just not found the right setup with my active basses. I find myself just going for the passive ones and ignoring the others which is fine I was just curious if any others had any issues like this.

Thanks,
Eric
 
#2
I feel the same way completely. Through my current amp, a Trace combo, I much prefer active basses. But when I went to GC and played an SVT-CL through an 810E, nothing matched the tone I got with that Geddy Lee Jazz...
 
#3
Different basses sounds best through different setups. With my SVT-CL my all passive good old P-bass is what sounds the best, it sounds better than my nordstrand and audere equipped jazz bass through it.

The other day I tried a friends SWR combo, The p sounded awefull through it and I liked the jazz better.

I remember, not long ago a guy started thread about how his P-bass and stingray sounded better than his Sawdowsky through his SVT-CL as well.

I think that every amp emphasises a certain frequency range, they have a specific voicing that sounds better with some basses than others.
 
#5
Alembic, Ken Smith, P Bass Special, all good via Trace Elliot, not so good through my SVT.

P Bass, Gibson SG, & Rick, all good via SVT, not so much through Trace Elliot.

I also run a Boogie 750/610 rig which seems to like everything. But not as sweet as a P/Ampeg or Smith/Trace combinations.

Now that I've gone through all that expensive education, they tell me the trend is toward no amps on stage. Just a digital processor and into the P.A.

Then ya got different woods, strings, pups, speakers............

You are not alone Eric. Now that I've thought about it, I think I'll buy a big couch, a wide screen with cable, and become a professional potato.
 

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